Antiochus Epiphanies IV – Ptolemy and Seleucus were 2 of Alexander the Great’s generals. Rome defeated Seleucids (defeated Antiochus III) & captured Antiochus III’s son… then he seized power later under name of Antiochus IV Epiphanies. Power struggle between Ptolemies and Seleucids over high priest office. 2 attacks of Jerusalem while passing through on way to Egypt. 2nd time erected Zeus statue in temple. Caricature of ruthless pride. Dies in torment in 2 M. “Epiphanes” = manifest. 175-164. Nickname was Epimanes = madman.

Unity under AE IV = one people by giving up unique customs. Suppress any efforts to keep God.

VS.Unity under Catholic Church = Lumen Gentium → opposite of ‘giving up customs’… Church doesn’t detract from any temporal good of all people… takes up the good customs… Church recapitulates all things in Christ… everything that is good, true, and beautiful is assumed into the Catholicity of the Church.

Consists of detailed accounts mostly of military battles & international politics. Gives Jews a national sense of identity.

Narrates the history of the Jewish people form the enthronement of the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanies (175 BC) until the installation of John Hyrcanus as the high priest in Jerusalem (134 BC).

Overall:

1 Maccabees:

Introduction (chaps. 1–2) = Prelude to the Wars

A. Alexander the Great and the Seleucid Persecution (1:1–63)

B. Mattathias and His Sons (2:1–70) –> Mattathias named “Hasmoneus” by Josephus = Hasmonean dynasty. Mattathias = new Phineas– who purifies ppl from worshiping foreign gods + new David – assembles force in desert to take over city.

Overall = The rise of Antiochus IV Epiphanies and his religious persecution of the Jews – initial revolt by Mattathias and his sons.

Land is in the grip of Syrian military + pro-Syrian Jews (“lawless ones”)

Jonathan gains control of Judean countryside after demoralizing forces of Bacchides + negotiate a treaty with him.

Jonathan becomes high priest – goes against Demetrius and allies with Alexander Balas, son of Antiochus, accepts his offer to appointment as high priest in 152 BC. Breaks sacred tradition of passing the high priesthood down by inheritance in the line of Zadok. Alexander defeats Demetrius in 150 BC = consolidates Jonathan’s power in Judea.

Demetrius II takes over in 145 BC after defeating Alexander — Jonathan alliance with Demetrius… but then D goes against J.

Jonathan defeats D II in battle of Hazor 144 BC through prayer.

Trypho executes Jonathan in prison after tricking him. –> time of mortal danger for all Jews as all surrounding nations sought to destroy them.

137 BC WAR –> Military victory of Simon’s sons, Judas and John, against Cendebeus.

Death of Simon + his sons Judas & Mattathias –> tragic = Ptolemy, Simon’s son-in-law murders them at a banquet in 134 BC.

The Reign of John Hyrcanus (16:18–24)

John escaped Ptolemy’s plan to kill them all and gain control of Judea –> Hasmonean dynasty begins.

Succession of Simon’s son as leader of Jews.

Themes:

Sin within Israel as lawlessness + impiety – leading to religious compromise

Opposition to the faith, at times violent & deadly

The willingness of believers to die for the faith

Loyalty to law + covenant

Warfare and violence as way of protecting faith in a time of violence = Judas’ righteous cause out of reverence for Heaven.

God’s assistance in war that is waged with “strength that comes from Heaven”

Importance of Temple, Temple sacrifice, high priesthood

Absence of prophecy

Theology:

God is NOT mentioned by name –> great reverence of divine name YHWH – refer to God as “Heaven”. Like Matthew’s Gospel. prayers offered by heroes before they go into battle.Jewish fighters = “help of heaven” in battle.God decides fate of Jewish people.Reverence for 1st commandment –> sparks insurrection.

NO miracles of divine intervention appear –>Similar to book of Judges – violence breaks out as a defence against oppression and injustice. To prevent extermination of whole nation. Successful maneuvering on stage of international politics.

NO prophets speak –> distress + waiting for true prophets (beyond human control). Temple and high priesthood becomes important in absence. Institutional religion = way to reach out to God when God does NOT seem to reach out to them. LEADERS = good + brave –> remarkable considering absence of any sense of recompense in the afterlife. give lives for national good + divine order of things. “Whatever Heaven, wills, he will do” (3:59) = Judas’ view.POSITIVE END = yoke of Gentiles removed from Israel + Hasmonean dynasty established.

NO one expresses faith in life after death.

NO women.

NO miracles = but still “strength that comes from heaven” (3:19). NEED to see God more in natural events of world and history… still mysterious unfolding of God’s plan. Leaders face mystery with strength, faith, courage. God is NOT manipulated by prayer.

Overall = need to love God + be faithful to His law + serve God at any cost + NO reward possibly = faith in God as a sacred mystery.

Purpose:

1 M = purpose of glorifying the Maccabees as “those men by whom salvation was brought to Israel” (5:62). Enhances victories and minimizes defeats.

“The Jewish Insurrection” –> Maccabean revolt aimed to reclaim Holy Land from foreign occupation. Antiochus IV Epiphanies VS. Mattathias, Judas, Jonathan, Simon. The story of liberation = Jews eventually appoint their own ruler in the end. People of God must live out their faith within the political tensions of the real world.

Sacred History Experienced in the Present

Author adopts Deut. style = God at work in time of Maccabees = to re-present the history of salvation. Mattathias = new Phineas & David. Judas = new Moses + new Joshua.

Prayer, spiritual discipline, worship

Achievements are the fruit of prayer & reverence for Law. Pray before war.

Psalms of thanksgiving after war.

Name of Lord too holy to be uttered. “Heaven”

Dedication to Law = unites and energizes Jewish resistance. Mattathias burns with zeal for Law + Judas has Law as guide + victory due to observing Law.

reverence for institutions: the temple & the holy city

Maccabees fought on behalf of the Temple and the Law against Gentile oppression and Jewish apostasy.

A well-educated Greek speaking Jew from diaspora, perhaps from Cyrene or Egypt, where flourishing Jewish communities existed in the last centuries before Christ. Very high-flowing Greek.

Pharisaic tendencies = resurrection of the dead.

Earlier work than 1 M.

More edifying & inspiring than 1 M.

Book is a digest of a 5-volume history which Jason of Cyrene wrote in Greek shortly after 160 BC (ends around death of Judas). Author is a Hellenistic Jew & important figure in the Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt (if opening words are his). Epitomist finished digestion around 124 BC and before original Hebrew 1 Maccabees was finished.

Pathetic history (literature that uses every means to appeal to the imagination and stir the passions of the reader). Marked by exaggeration of #’s, creation of dialogue, prodigious miracles… idealizes his story & leaves out other parts.

Overall:

Narrates the history from Seleucus IV (187 BC) to Maccabean victory of Seleucid general Nicanor (160 BC).

The Second book of Maccabees covers much the same ground as 1 Maccabees 1–7, but it is more explicit in giving a theological interpretation of the events of the period. Begins around 180 BC and ends 161 BC

Events relating to Temple, priesthood, Syrian persecution of Jews from years 176 to 164 BC

2 Maccabees focuses more on internal corruption in priesthood of Simon, Jason, Menelaus.

Heliodorus is sent to rob the Temple BUT Heaven intervenes with a miracle (horse & 2 figures attack him = divine intervention theme).

Jason steals high priesthood from Onias & leads nation into “Greek way of life” … then Menelaus bribes to get high priesthood.

Statue of Zeus in Temple –> national disaster = punishment for sin –> hope though — sign of God’s kindness to punish swift rather than let them go on sinning for long time. God is correcting His people and values them more than Temple.

Martyrdom of 7 brothers – gory details about torture – heroism over observance of Law –> doctrines of resurrection from dead + creation ex nihilo (b/c God created from nothing He will raise from nothing) + vicarious suffering (faith of innocent effective power against evil of other’s sins).

Mother is the great hero & true theologian of 2M. God put life into her being & arranged its elements. Connects beginning of man + origin of all things (same origin). If he can create from nothing, he can also raise up back from the dust. Those who confidently have this hope can forget themselves for the sake of His laws (natural law = preserve own life highest duty).

Onias (198-175) – under Onias, Seleucids came under power (NOT the Ptolemys)… so Seleucids made Jason priest

Jason (174-171) – promoted Hellenism.

Menelaus (172-162) – paid a lot to gain high priesthood.

The Inspiration and Truth of Scripture 2014

Approach Bible as given + come to it with nuanced understanding of its formation & how God speaks through it.

Historical books = NOT trying to give chronological account.God = main actor in the historical books. They are theologized accounts. History from God’s intervention & direction. Truth = didactic or theological. This history is NOT a myth though. * Truth of Scripture = DV11 – God committed to Scripture to truth in view of our salvation. Need flexibility to work with literary genre.

So how do we read it faith-filled and intelligibly?

Inspiration of scripture – put yourself in the stream of the faith of the Church. Church has accepted & handed down these books as normative and decisive for our faith as inspired by God.

influence of the Spirit – the same Spirit who inspired scripture also helps us to interpret it. Spirit active in Church and in authors = both ends. dynamic living process.

Guided by lived experience of the risenLord.

Unity that all works come from Holy Spirit… but in a plurality of ways…expressions through many human voices… and in ongoing elaboration of books.

Mature adherence to the word of God overall.

Truth of Scripture – has divine qualities. NOT just a sum of info about human knowledge. but God’s revelation of His plan globally. Goal = salvation of the world. So that is why there an inconsistencies. Truth of Scripture = DV11 – God committed to Scripture to truth in view of our salvation. Need flexibility to work with literary genre.

Truth expressed in a multiplicity of forms. Different kinds of literary means, points of views, … overall gives symphony of voices… unified message from many individuals.